Chlorinate well question

[Sudy Nim]

My well is 44 years old, 100 feet deep and 5-inch diameter, with a submersible pump. What is the recommended chlorinating procedure for the novice? TIA

[dpb]

Leave it alone unless there's a specific problem.

--

[The Reverend Natural Light]

The recommended chlorine amount is for 200-400 feet depth. Reduce as appropriate.

That assumes your well has a removable cap. If your well head is in a pit and you have to disconnect and lift 80' of galvanized pipe, it's going to be more difficult.

[dadiOH]

Why do you want to chlorinate it?

[Blattus Slafaly]

Depends on your water test for coliform bacteria. If it's zero, no need. If it's detected, a one time flash chlorination to get rid of it and then retest. Only if I had persistent recurring coliform bacteria problem would I consider chlorination. I would also be looking up stream for the cause of the contamination.

[cln]

Why? Why do you wash your vegetables before eating? Why would you need a test to make sure there is nothing in the water? My parents and brother where 'quick walking' to the bathroom for a week before they got the water tested... doesn't need a test if there is something suspicious.

Why would you not?... really, sure it's a job to shock your well but is there a danger to doing it when you don't need to? Kinda like the vegetable thing, it would be the same as washing organic vegetables. (Please respond if their is a risk OTHER than the chemicals left in the lines by a DIY'er)

One more thing... I'm thinking of selling my house next spring, if I get a test done and there is a reason to shock the well, I have to declare it when I sell. If I don't know of the problem but shock the well anyways, the tests when I sell the house will show an all clear! I'll be glad that I shocked it for MY own health and future sale of the house!

cln

[Sudy Nim]

Appreciate all the replies. The previous owner said he dumped a gallon of bleach into the well via the removable cap once a year to clean the well, improve taste and to remove bacteria. Just wanted to continue with his instructions. However, as I can not see any problem thought it would be best to ask those with experience if this was a required routine. Sudy Nim

[Claude Hopper]

Get a water test once a year or two. Things change.

[Steve Barker DLT]

Oh pleeeeeeese..... i grew up on well water and you do not chlorinate it. Jeeeeeze.. What's the purpose of having a well if you're going to ruin the water like city water?

s

[ransley]

Why put a poison into good water Bleach is a poison that kills AIDs

[ransley]

So country folks can say city water is crap..,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.........

[dadiOH]

Probably because they didn't wash their veggies with silver nitrate.

[Robert Neville]

Breaking the cap seal on a clean well is a really bad idea as it raises the potential for bacterial contamination. Throwing a gallon of bleach down the well does not prevent this unless you completely cover the entire interior casing and cap.

[cln]

I grew up on well water too but when the neighbor desiced to replace his septic tank... his problem became ours. Chlorine was the only solution... as a matter of fact, we had to shock it a second time because the results still came out bad!

Chlorine is drained out, so you loose that 'city taste'. You wash you dishes right? do you leave the soap on the dishes or do you rinse?

[trader4]

in the

Now, this makes no sense. You say your neighbor replaced his septic system and it caused your well to become contaminated, so you shocked it with chlorine, and then continued to use it? Are you for real? Code specifies the minimum allowed distance between a septic system and a well to avoid this problem. And if a septic system is contaminating your drinking water, I don't know who in their right mind would think shocking it with some chlorine a couple times was a safe and acceptable solution.